Heptathela higoensis Haupt, 1983

Xu, Xin, Ono, Hirotsugu, Kuntner, Matjaz, Liu, Fengxiang & Li, Daiqin, 2019, A taxonomic monograph of the liphistiid spider genus Heptathela, endemic to Japanese islands, ZooKeys 888, pp. 1-50 : 1

Heptathela higoensis Haupt, 1983 Figs 4 , 5

Heptathela kimurai higoensis Haupt, 1983: 283 (holotype: male, from Kumamoto, Kyushu, Japan, collected by M. Yoshikura on 27 September 1973, deposited in ZMH, examined); Haupt 2003: 69. Heptathela higoensis : Ono 1998: 16; Ono 2009: 80; Ono and Ogata 2018: 26, 479.

Heptathela nishikawai Ono, 1998: 19 (holotype: female, from Hitoyoshi-shi, Kumamoto-ken, Kyushu, Japan, collected by H. Ono on 19 November 1996, deposited in NMNS, examined); Ono 2009: 83; syn. nov.

Heptathela yaginumai Ono, 1998: 20 (holotype: female, from Honjo, Kunitomi-cho, Higashimorokata-gun, Miyazaki-ken, Kyushu, Japan, collected by T. Yaginuma on 18 June 1949, deposited in NMNS, examined); Ono 2009: 81. syn. nov.

Diagnosis.

Males of H. higoensis can be distinguished from those of H. kikuyai by one of the embolus peaks being longer than the other ( Fig. 4H, I, K ) and by the slightly blunt tegular marginal apophysis ( Fig. 4J ), and from those of H. yakushimaensis by the conductor with the weakly serrated prolateral margin ( Fig. 4F, H, K ). Females of H. higoensis can be distinguished from those of H. kimurai by the wide and flat dorso-posterior part of the genital area ( Fig. 4A, B ), and from those of H. kikuyai and H. yakushimaensis by the inner receptacular clusters that are larger than the outer ones ( Fig. 4 A–D ). Moreover, H. higoensis differs from all other Kyushu group Heptathela species by the following unique nucleotide substitutions in the standard DNA barcode alignment: G (140), C (146), A (179), C (251), C (257), C (263), G (272), A (326), C (332), T (350), G (479), G (569), C (572), A (578), G (596), G (632), G (641).

Description.

Males (N = 11). Carapace yellow brown; opisthosoma light brown, with dark brown tergites close to each other; cheliceral groove with 11-13 denticles; 7 or 8 spinnerets. Measurements: BL 8.80-11.00, CL 4.40-5.25, CW 4.10-4.90, OL 4.40-5.60, OW 2.90-3.40; ALE> PLE> PME> AME; leg I 11.75 (3.45 + 1.50 + 2.60 + 2.70 + 1.50), leg II 12.40 (3.40 + 1.60 + 2.50 + 3.10 + 1.80), leg III 13.30 (3.20 + 1.60 + 2.40 + 3.80 + 2.30), leg IV 16.80 (4.40 + 1.20 + 3.30 + 5.20 + 2.70).

Palp. Prolateral side of paracymbium unpigmented and unsclerotised, numerous setae and spines at the tip of paracymbium ( Fig. 4 E–G ). Contrategulum with serrated margin proximally and smooth margin distally ( Fig. 4I, K ). Tegulum wide, the dorsal extension of terminal apophysis and marginal apophysis with a serrated margin retrolaterally ( Fig. 4J, K ). Conductor wide and with an apical tooth and a deep fold ( Fig. 4H, K ). Embolus with two peaks, one peak longer than the other, and with a curved margin retrolaterally ( Fig. 4 H–K ).

Females (N = 43). Carapace and opisthosoma colour as in male; cheliceral groove with 11-16 pronounced denticles; tergites similar to male; 7-8 spinnerets. Measurements: BL 8.00-12.80, CL 4.30-6.10, CW 3.80-5.57, OL 4.10-6.50, OW 2.70-4.90; ALE> PLE> PME> AME; palp 8.20 (2.70 + 1.50 + 1.70 + 2.30), leg I 8.80 (2.80 + 1.75 + 1.70 + 1.55 + 1.00), leg II 8.93 (2.75 + 1.60 + 1.55 + 1.83 + 1.20), leg III 9.30 (2.70 + 1.60 + 1.50 + 2.20 + 1.30), leg IV 13.25 (3.65 + 1.80 + 2.40 + 3.40 + 2.00).

Female genitalia. A pair of depressions on the ventro-lateral part of genital atrium ( Fig. 4C, D ). Paired receptacular clusters along the anterior margin of bursa copulatrix, divided into two parts, the inner main part forming a large granulate tubercle, with short genital stalks, the outers with several small granules ( Fig. 4 ).

Remarks.

We examined the male holotype of H. higoensis ( Fig. 5 ) and identified the species as H. higoensis even though the bulb of holotype male is relatively distorted compared to the specimens we collected. After we examined 11 males and 43 females collected at the type localities of H. higoensis , H. nishikawai and H. yaginumai , and compared the holotypes of H. higoensis , H. nishikawai and H. yaginumai with our specimens, we proposed synonymy of H. nishikawai and H. yaginumai with H. higoensis based on their genital morphology, molecular species delimitation ( Xu et al. 2019), and intraspecific genetic distances, 0-1.19% (K2P) and 0-1.18% (p -distance) among 43 specimens, although females exhibit a considerable intraspecific variation in genitalia.

Material examined.

JAPAN · 1 ♂, 8 ♀♀; Kyushu, Kumamoto-ken, Hitoyoshi-shi, Fumotomachi, Hitoyoshi Ruins Park; 32.21N, 130.77E; alt. 140 m; 18 September 2013; D. Li and B. Wu leg.; XUX-2013-365 (♂ matured 19 July 2014 at CBEE), XUX-2013-360 to 364, 366 to 368 · 2 ♂♂, 5 ♀♀; Kyushu, Kumamoto-ken, Kumamoto-shi, Tatsutayama, Tatsuta National Park; 32.82N, 130.73E; alt. 60 m; 19 September 2013; D. Li and B. Wu leg.; XUX-2013-370 to 379 · 4 ♂♂, 4 ♀♀; Kyushu, Kumamoto-ken, Kumamoto-shi, Higashi-ku, Kozono 1-chome; 32.84N, 130.78E; alt. 100 m; 19 September 2013; D. Li and B. Wu leg.; XUX-2013-380 to 389 (XUX-2013-381, ♂ matured 2 August 2014 at CBEE) · 1 ♂, 3 ♀♀; Kyushu, Kumamoto-ken, Kumamoto-shi, Kasuga, Hanaokayama; 32.80N, 130.68E; alt. 120 m, 19 September 2013; D. Li and B. Wu leg.; XUX-2013-390 to 393 · 3 ♀♀; Miyazaki-ken, Nishiusuki-gun, Takachiho-cho, Mukoyama; 32.70N, 131.30E; alt. 320 m; 22 September 2013; D. Li and B. Wu leg.; XUX-2013-435 to 441 · 1 ♂, 3 ♀♀; Miyazaki-ken, Higashimorokata-gun, Kunitomi-cho, Honjo 11960-1; 32.00N, 131.34E; alt. 30 m; 23 September 2013; D. Li and B. Wu leg.; XUX-2013-456 (♂, matured 19 July 2014 at CBEE), XUX-2013-449 to 451 · 1 ♂, 12 ♀♀; Miyazaki-ken, Higashimorokata-gun, Kunitomi-cho, Honjo 4191; 31.98N, 131.33E; alt. 30 m; 23 September 2013; D. Li and B. Wu leg.; XUX-2013-457 to 467C · 1 ♀; Miyazaki-ken, Nishimorokata-gun, Takaharu-cho, Kamamuto, Lake Miike; 31.89N, 130.96E; alt. 360 m; 23 September 2013; D. Li and B. Wu leg.; XUX-2013-468 · 1 ♂, 4 ♀♀; 2 Kagoshima-ken, Kirishima-shi, Kirishima, Takachihokawara; 31.89N, 130.89E; alt. 960 m; 23 September 2013; D. Li and B. Wu leg.; XUX-2013-471 (♂, matured 8 June 2014 at CBEE), XUX-2013-472 to 474, 476.

Distribution.

The species is known from the following prefectures on the Japanese island Kyushu: Kumamoto-ken (Hitoyoshi-shi and Kumamoto-shi), Miyazaki-ken (Nishiusuki-gun, Higashimorokata-gun and Nishimorokata-gun), Kagoshima-ken (Kirishima-shi) ( Fig. 1C ).

Figures

Figure 1. General somatic morphology of Heptathela kimurai (Kishida, 1920) A dorsal view B ventral view and map showing the sampling localities of Heptathela specimens from Kyushu to central Ryukyus (C).

Figure 4. Male and female genital anatomy of Heptathela higoensis Haupt, 1983 A, C 3472 (short for XUX- 2013 - 472) B, D 3435 E-G 3365 H-K 3381 A, B vulva dorsal view C, D vulva ventral view E palp prolateral view F palp ventral view G palp retrolateral view H-K palp distal view; 3365: Hitoyoshi Ruins Park, Kumamoto; 3472: Takachihokawara, Kagoshima; 3435: Mukoyama, Miyazaki; 3381: Kozomo, Kumamoto. Scale bar: 0.5 mm.

Figure 5. Male holotype genital anatomy of Heptathela higoensis Haupt, 1983 (ZMH 21751) A palp ventral view B palp retrolateral view C, D palp distal view. Scale bar: 0.5 mm.